Families often fall out but Dr MAX PEMBERTON’s advice to parents is to always keep the door open

Finally, after weeks of speculation, we now know that Prince Harry will be attending the Coronation. 

There were many people who felt that, given his behaviour over the past few months with his tell-all book and Netflix series, that neither he nor Meghan should have been invited in the first place.

Few people would have blamed King Charles if he had snubbed his youngest son. If you criticise your family in such a public way, surely there must be consequences?

It can’t have been easy for him to extend an open hand to Harry given all the hurt he’s caused.

But my experience of treating patients who have endured toxic family fallouts has led me to firmly believe the King has made the right decision. 

It’s true that petty point scoring may be satisfying in the short-term, but it is doomed to heap misery upon misery in the long-term. To start the healing, somebody has to be the first to reach out.

I have seen many parents and children over the years who have fallen out, sometimes over serious matters, sometimes over something quite petty.

A report published by charity Stand Alone found that one in five families will be touched by estrangement at some point. Money, jealousy and disapproval of a partner are common reasons for family rifts.

When a family fractures in this way it can cause pain on both sides and — despite Harry’s belief that only his ‘truth’ is the correct one — there’s usually two sides to a story.

Of course, there are times when I would wholly support someone walking away from their family and turning their back on their parents. I have heard stories of horrifying abuse and neglect and, in these cases, the parents have utterly failed and I understand why some would find it easier to forge a life without them.

But that’s not what we’re talking about with Harry and Charles. For all his faults, I really believe the King did his best

But that’s not what we’re talking about with Harry and Charles. For all his faults, I really believe the King did his best, given all the conflicts and difficulties he himself faced with his challenging relationship with his own father and his divorce from Harry’s mother, Diana. He clearly loves the son he touchingly refers to as his ‘darling boy’.

Reconciling after a bitter fallout is never easy for any of the parties involved, especially when one side point-blank refuses to accept their part in the dispute.

But my usual advice to the parent is to keep the door open for their child after an estrangement. I will gently tell them that, yes, it can be hard and they may find the idea humiliating or frustrating, or unfair.

But, fundamentally, the onus is on them to be the bigger person because taking responsibility is what parents do and that doesn’t stop when kids become adults themselves.

Loving somebody unconditionally does not mean you have to compromise on everything. Indeed, it’s vital you find your boundaries and stick to them.

However, it’s a parent’s job to always ensure their child knows that, whatever has been said and whatever has happened, they are still there.

Keep inviting them to things, remember birthdays and Christmas, even if the gesture goes unacknowledged.

Humans are bafflingly proud at times. They would often rather destroy a relationship than attempt to make peace and risk the humiliation of being rejected.

Yet, it’s the parent’s duty to make sure there’s always a way back for their estranged child whenever they’re ready. And if it backfires then they will never have the regret of not trying.

My experience of treating patients who have endured toxic family fallouts has led me to firmly believe the King has made the right decision

I’m reminded of the parable of the Prodigal Son. Regardless of your belief or religious convictions, it’s a very sound story of a father’s love for his son and how, despite acting badly, he is celebrated when he returns.

Of course, this story is intended as a picture of God’s love for humanity, but it is also a good model of how unconditional love looks between parent and child.

No doubt King Charles has made mistakes (what parent hasn’t?), and no doubt Harry still harbours grudges but by including his son in one of the biggest days of his life he has shown himself to be a good father.

All we can hope is that, in time, Harry will be able to see it too.

19 is too young to wed!

Millie Bobby Brown, star of Stranger Things, has announced she’s engaged at 19. Not long ago, 19 would have seemed like a normal age to get hitched. 

Now it seems recklessly young. Maybe now we live longer, we have the luxury of being able to extend adolescence. From a neurological perspective, this is probably a good thing.

Part of the brain behind the forehead, known as the prefrontal cortex, is the seat for foreseeing and judging consequences of behaviour. Evidence from brain scans is that this area is the last part of the brain to fully form and is still developing into a person’s 20s.

Millie Bobby Brown, star of Stranger Things, has announced she’s engaged at 19. Not long ago, 19 would have seemed like a normal age to get hitched. Pictured: Fiance Jake Bongiovi and Millie Bobby Brown

With an immature prefrontal cortex, teenagers can understand a behaviour is dangerous or wrong but they lack the hardwiring in the brain to process these thoughts.

This is why young people make good Army recruits, because the prefrontal cortex that assesses risk is still immature (and why the majority leave by their mid-20s — because the risk assessment part of the brain has now developed).

Just because a teenager looks like a grown up, doesn’t mean they have the brain of one.

Nurses have rejected the latest five per cent pay offer and further strikes now seem likely.

I worry that this, combined with the junior doctor strikes, could send the NHS spiralling even further with patients inevitably suffering. I do understand the nurses’ grievance. 

They are the backbone of the NHS, yet their earning potential does not significantly increase with years of experience and despite being highly skilled and knowledgeable. 

This is very different to junior doctors, whose salaries increase notably once they become fully qualified as GPs or consultants.

Dr Max prescribes… hearing aid jewellery

Research shows that from the first hearing loss symptoms to seeking help is typically ten years, because sufferers fear appearing ‘old’. 

Designers such as Gucci have long made glasses but the same hasn’t happened to hearing aids, has it? 

Research shows that from the first hearing loss symptoms to seeking help is typically ten years, because sufferers fear appearing ‘old’

Well, Love Your Ears – a hearing aid/jewellery collaboration between Hidden Hearing and Deafmetal aims to tackle the stigma around hearing loss and wearing hearing aids. Visit deafmetal.store. 

Parents have slammed a primary school in Leeds after it banned pupils from playing games with physical contact because of a high number of ‘incidents and minor injuries’. 

But isn’t this kind of rough and tumble important for developing children? We can’t wrap them in cotton wool – in fact, we know that this approach is actually bad for their development. 

Studies have shown that rough and tumble play helps kids learn to regulate, understand and manage their emotions. Aren’t these all vital skills for life that schools should be encouraging?